Passenger aircraft haven’t changed much over the years, and apart from the paint job, most pretty much all look the same. But with fuel costs rising, more people traveling everyday, and a need to cut costs wherever possible, new designs are starting to appear.

Airbus decided to go big with the introduction of the A380, which can carry up to 853 passengers. Boeing on the other hand, decided to create a modern plane, that embraces technology in a number of ways, while being much lighter and therefore fuel efficient than the planes it will eventually replace.

That new aircraft is called the Boeing 787, but has more commonly been referred to as the Dreamliner. It has just finished its first passenger flight giving aviation enthusiasts four hours aboard the craft, and should now start to appear at airports around the world.

So what tech does the Dreamliner use that may impress us geeks?

Let’s start with the windows, which are 30% bigger making them easier to look out of even if you are in the middle of the plane. But surprisingly they no longer have the slide down shades to stop bright sunlight getting in. Instead, Boeing has used an electrical dimming system that tints the windows in just 30 seconds. It’s clever because it does the same job as the old shades, but removes weight from the plane while also removing a moveable part that can easily get broken/damaged.

Next up we’ve got noise reduction. As the plane is much lighter it means there’s more opportunity to use materials to dampen sound. But there may be no need. A “wave pattern” around the exhaust sees a big reduction in engine noise, so hopefully it’s a quieter experience.

Now for probably the coolest new feature. If you hate flying through turbulence, as I do, Boeing have at least improved the situation rather than solved it completely. The worst bit of turbulence is when the plane drops several feet and gives everyone on board the sense they are falling. In order to counteract the effects of turbulence, Boeing is adding accelerometers to the nose of the plane. If they register a sudden drop, they tell the wing flaps to adjust very quickly (apparently in nanoseconds). In so doing, a 9 feet drop in an older plane can be reduced to just 3 feet in the 787, making for a much smoother flight.

The final big adjustment Boeing seem to have made is in the cabin pressure. It is now set to 6,000 feet instead of 8,000, which should translate into less headaches and passengers having more energy after a long flight. Lighting can also be set to auto-adjust during long flights to cut down on jet lag.

Although it’s hard to tell one plane from another, the Dreamliner is very distinct because the interior is so different. There’s more space and more room for bags in the overhead compartments which now sit at an angle. That, coupled with the larger windows means you’ll know instantly when you board one.